I M Pei

A biography of the renowned architect that focuses on six of his signature buildings.

In 1935, 17-year-old I M Pei left his family in Shanghai, China, to study architecture in the United States. Following the Communist takeover of China in 1949, Pei decided to remain in America to develop his budding architectural career. Over the next half century, Pei would establish himself as one of the leading architects in the world.

The world-renowned architect I. M. Pei is the twenty-fourth hero in the New York Times bestselling picture book biography series. (Cover may vary) This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great--the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically themselves. Each book tells the story of an icon in a lively, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers and that always includes the hero's childhood influences. At the back are an excellent timeline and photos. This book features I. M. Pei, the award-winning Chinese American architect whose projects include the John F. Kennedy Library and the pyramid at the Louvre. Included is a pop-up of the Louvre to help young readers see the space and Pei's design in 3D! This friendly, fun biography series inspired the PBS Kids TV show Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. One great role model at a time, these books encourage kids to dream big. Included in each book are: • A timeline of key events in the hero’s history • Photos that bring the story more fully to life • Comic-book-style illustrations that are irresistibly adorable • Childhood moments that influenced the hero • Facts that make great conversation-starters • A virtue this person embodies: I. M. Pei's ingenuity led him and his designs to brave new heights. You’ll want to collect each book in this dynamic, informative series!

When I. M. Pei was awarded the Pritzker Prize in 1983, the jury said he had "given this century some of its most beautiful interior spaces and exterior forms." I. M. Pei: Complete Works, the first and definitive survey of the master architect, attests to this statement by showcasing Pei’s transcendent, sculptural forms in over fifty projects and more than 300 illustrations, culminating in the last works he is currently completing. Often working in a spare geometry with a palette of stone, concrete, glass, and steel, Pei—who began his career pioneering public housing projects in New York City—has taken his vision of modern architecture across the globe with commissions in locations as diverse as Quatar, China, Luxembourg, Japan, and Germany. Meanwhile, major projects such as the JFK Library in Boston and the East Building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., have made him a household name in the United States.

"This volume presents this master architect in a profoundly personal manner, touching on the influences he gathered in the gardens and cities of his native China, his studies under the great masters of modernism at America's most prestigious universities, and his ascent to the top of his profession in the United States and internationally. Complete with a colorplate section showing Pei's works, a selection of his drawings, and a catalog of his oeuvre, this volume offers a view of a truly extraordinary man. Conversations with I. M. Pei: Light is the Key is as valuable a resource for the general reader as it is for architects and students."--BOOK JACKET.

"In 1990, I. M. Pei: A Profile in American Architecture was published as the first full-length study of the life and work of this extraordinary artist. The revised edition includes a chapter on Pei's work since 1990, when he established a new relationship with his firm that enabled him to pursue more small scale, personal commissions. Illustrated from the rich archives of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, the book charts Pei's progress from his birth in China in 1917 through every milestone in his career to his preeminent position today. The author, noted architecture critic Carter Wiseman, has supplemented extensive and meticulous research with many hours of conversation with Pei, his family, his associates, and his clients. Wiseman focuses his text on the buildings of special relevance to Pei's career, and, whether discussing the Kennedy Library, the Meyerson Symphony Center, or the Louvre, he carefully considers the project's architectural, sociological, and personal dimensions. One sees how Pei's artistic vision has emerged, how he has deftly met the demands of each new situation and client, and how his charismatic personality has affected events." "Scores of color photographs present Pei's buildings in all their splendid variety - from the urban grandeur of the Dallas City Hall to the daring innovation of the Bank of China skyscraper. Dozens of revealing drawings, plans, and models as well as personal and documentary photographs make this volume the only comprehensive visual record of Pei's work."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Presents a biography of Chinese-American architect, Ieoh Ming Pei, and describes his childhood in China, immigration to the United States in 1935, education, and architectural design that incorporates Chinese tradition.